well, MT..as with all positions, organaizations, parties, etc...there is always someone on your side you wish were on the OTHER side....Ms. O'Hair was a loutish fool! She would have banned churches, if she could, I gather. I saw her on TV before she disappeared, and it HURT to garbage like that spewed to cloud the real issue.

I certainly do not advocate abolishing ANY form of legitimate religion, or restricting YOUR right to go to church and worship whomever and however you please...as long as it does not restrict MY freedoms or make other religions and NONreligious folks uncomfortable..(I refer to PUBLIC prayers at sports events as an example) I am as concerned that Jews or Muslims not have to be subjected to pleas "In Jesus name" as I am about MY hearing it, as it does not directly counter some belief I have.

I live near BOTH a Jehovah's Witness church, and the east coast Mormon Temple, and I get door knockers of both persuasions..(*and BOY are they offended if you mistake one for the other!)...I do NOT go 'round knocking on THEIR doors trying to get them to give up their beliefs. But they have, built into their system, the righteous attitude that they SHOULD be out bothering me and telling me that I am going to Hell if I don't change my ways. And, as you know, there are other denominations which do the same thing in different ways...(leaflets on my car window..etc.)

As a child, I happily recited the Pledge of Allegance...and then 'they' said it must include the words "under God"...WHY? I will honor & defend my country without 'God' to oversee my actions, and I will tell the truth in a court without a bible...and I will refrain from crime and love my wife and pay my taxes and give to the poor...and...and....

I know people who are Quakers..(or Friends...whatever) and various other religions who worship daily, and do not expect ME to do likewise. I have attended Mass, Advent services at an Episcopal church, and a rousing, shouting singing adventure in a black Southern Baptist church in Mississippi...and while I was in THEIR place of worship, I was quiet, respectful and non-adversarial. They were nice people doing what they believed.

However, if I met ANY of those folks at a public meeting not connected with religion..(such as the Wood Collectors group I belong to)wanting ME to wait while they prayed aloud and at length over my supper, I will object!

So...(you DID ask) when I say freedom FROM religion, I mean just that...allowing me to go about my business without having someone insert religious concerns which should be kept within their group into my daily activities....and in return, I will endeavor to ensure that they are ALWAYS assured of the freedom to have those private places of their worship protected against any attempt to deny them........

......I hope I came close to what you asked and what I wanted to convey....